FIRST-COMERS. 49 



Never absent from such a reedy picture are the black- 

 birds, especially the redwing ( Agelceus phmniceus), whose fa- 

 vorite resort is where the rushes grow most densely, among 

 which he places his nest. The little swales in the meadows, 

 also, where tufts of rank grass flourish upon islands formed 

 by the roots of many previous years' growth, and stunted 

 alders and cranberry-bushes shade the black water, are near- 

 ly always sure to be the home of a few pairs, so that they 

 become well known to everybody, whether inland or along- 

 shore, as soon as the ice melts. Such extensive marshes as I 

 have just described are, however, the great centres of black- 

 bird population, where they breed, where they collect in 

 great hordes of young and old as the end of the season ap- 

 proaches, and whence they repair to the neighboring fields 

 of Indian-corn to tear open the husks and pick the succu- 

 lent kernels. In September I have seen them literally in 

 tens of thousands wheeling about the inundated wild-rice 

 fields bounding the western end of Lake Erie, their black 

 backs and gay red epaulets glistening in the sun " like an 

 army with banners." The Canadian voyageurs call them 

 " officer-birds," and the impression of an army before him 

 is always strong upon the beholder as he gazes at these pro- 

 digious flocks in autumn. It is extremely interesting to 

 watch the swift evolutions of their crowded ranks, and ob- 



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